Mining machine having adjustable head



Feb. 12, 1963 c. F. BALL MINING MACHINE HAVING ADJUSTABLE HEAD s sheets-'sheet 1 Filed Dec. 23, 1959 Feb. l2, 1963 c.1=. BALL 3,077,342

MINING MACHINE HAVING ADJUSTABLE HEAD Filed Dec. 23, 1959 y 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3.

INVENTORI CHARLES E BALL AGENT Feb. 12, 1963 cgF. BALL MINING MACHINE HAVING ADJUSTABLE HEAD Filed Dec. 25, 1959 J I l I I I Il# INVENTOR:

E BALL AGENT Feb. 12, 1963 Filed Dec. 23, 1959 FIG. 5.

c. F. BALL MINING MACHINE: HAVING ADJUSTABLE HEAD 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR: CHARLES E BALL AGENT Feb. l2, 1963 c. F. BALL 3,077,342

MINING MACHINE HAVING ADJUSTABLE HEAD Filed Dec. 25, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 5? IN ENTOR CHARLEVS F. BALL BY A 'l' l l/ AGENT Feb. 12, 1963 c. F. BALL 3,077,342

MINING MACHINE HAVING ADJUSTABLE HEAD Filed Deo. 25, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIGB.

l N V EN TOR: CHARLES F. BALL BY M / l AGENT United States arent @time 3,@7742 Patented Feb. l2, 1953 MINING MACHINE HAVNG ADSUSTABLE HEAD Charles F. Ball, Franklin, Pa., assigner to Joy Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 861,549 Claims priority, application Great Britain June 26, 1959 7 Claims. (Cl. 262-26) This invention has reference to mineral mining machines for cutting down mineral from an exposed buttock on a longwall mineral face and relates particularly to such machines of the kind provided with a mobile base and, at one or both ends thereof, a mineral cutting or disintegrating head for cutting down the mineral face as the mobile base is advanced.

The present invention has for its primary object to provide improvements in mining machines of the kind set forth by which the cutting or disintegrating head, or heads, can be raised and lowered and the power transmitted thereto irrespective of the tilted position thereof, and by which the head is supported so that it can be raised and lowered while being driven.

Another object of the invention is to provide improvements in such machines whereby the head, or heads, can be tilted in a plane transverse to its line of travel.

According to the present invention a mining machine comprises a mobile base movable over the tloor of a mine, a supportingstructure mounted on and projecting from said' mobile base and tiltable about a horizontal transverse axis relative to the mobile base, mine disintegrating head mechanism carried by said supporting structure for dislodging and disintegrating the mineral of a mine vein to for-m a passage for receiving the mobile base as mining progresses, means for tilting said supporting structure about said transverse horizontal axis to vary the elevation of the mine disintegrating head mechanism, a motor car- `tied by said mobile base, and a power transmission drive between the motor and the mine disintegrating head mechanism, said transmission drive including a universal coupling having its center cca-incident with said transverse axis so that the drive can be transmitted irrespective of the tilted position of the supporting structure.

`The invention further consists in a mining machine as set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein the mine disintegrating head is mounted on the supporting structure so that it can partake of a rocking movement about a longitudinal axis intersecting the center of the universal coupling and wherein means are provided to tilt the mine disintegrating head mechanism about said longitudinal axis.

The invention still further consists in a mining machine as set forth in either of the preceding paragraphs wherein the mine disintegrating head mechanism embodying at least two cutter shafts is driven by a single motor which drives said mechanism through a line of shafting includmechanism together with said gearing and shafts being capable of tilting about the transverse horizontal axis of the universal coupling.

A preferred construction of mining machine in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan View of the improved machine;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation thereof, the near side endless track beng removed;

FIGURE 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of FGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional plan view to a larger scale of 'a cutter head and its power transmission, the section being through part of gearing being on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 6;

FiGURE 6 is a section on the line 6--6 of FiGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view of the universal coupling on an enlarged scale; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary View on an enlarged scale of the arrangement for pivoting the hinge plates.

The improved machine is provided with a fabricated frame structure 11 which is mounted on endless tracks i2, said frame structure and its tracks constituting a mobile base.

Supported by said structure are two clutch housings 13 and 14, one housing being positioned near each end of the base structure. The housings are provided with brackets 13a and 14a respectively by which they are anchored to the base structure.

Between the clutch housings and supported thereby is a motor casing 15.

As the parts constituting the supporting structure, the transmission gear and the mine disintegrating head .mechanism are duplicated at each end of the mobile base only one end of the machine will be described with reference to the drawings.

The motor shaft 5a has fast on both ends thereof a hub 16, see FIGURE 5, to which is splined the driving member 17 of an overload slip clutch, the driven member 18 of which is adapted to be engaged by a manually operated clutch member 19 splined and axially slidable on a shaft 20. On the end of this shaft is splined a member 21 having an annular flange 22 with internal teeth which mesh with the external teeth of a universal coupling of known construction but herein shown as being generally similar to the universal coupling that is shown associated with the drive for the wheels in United States `Patent 2,317,623, the drive to the substantially spherical driven member 27 being transmitted through balls 25 housed in transversely extending grooves in the driving and driven members of the said coupling. The driven member 27 is splined on one end of a shaft 28 on the other end of which is splined a hub 29 which carries an external coupling member 30 having internal teeth which meshes with the external teeth of an internal coupling member 31 integral with one end of a shaft 32. On this shaft s splined a pinion wheel A which forms the first gear wheel of a train of gear wheels. This pinion wheel meshes with and drives a gear wheel B fast on a shaft 33 on which is a pinion Wheel C which meshes with a gear wheel D. Meshing with gear wheel D is a gear wheel E fast on a shaft F2 having a pinion wheel F. This latter pinion wheel meshes with a gear wheel G fast on a boring shaft X carrying cutters X1. Gear wheel D is fast on a shaft F3 having a pinion wheel F1 which meshes with gear wheel G1 fast on a second boring shaft Y carrying cutters Y1.

Fast to the clutch housing i3 is secured by means of bolts 34 an annulus 35 to which is bolted a iianged ring 36. Encircling the annulus is a yoke 37 provided with opposed laterally projecting trunnion pins 38. The axial center line of the pins passes through the center of the universal coupling. Mounted to rotate on the pins are hinge plates 39 between which is rigidly secured a gear casing 40. This casing is provided with bearings 41 in which is journaled the shaft 32 and also bearings for the shafts or axles of the pinion wheel C and gear wheels D and E.

The end of the gear casing 40 remote from the motor is closed by a mining head back plate 42 to which is secured the smaller gear cases 43 and 445. In gear case 43 are housed the bearings of pinion wheel F, gear wheel G and boring shaft X. In gear case 44 are the bearings of pinion wheel F1, gear wheel Gl and boring shaft Y.

Secured to each side of the motor is a longitudinally extending vertical plate 45. Each plate towards each end thereof has secured thereto lugs 46 and the hinge plates 39 in line therewith have likewise secured thereto lugs 47. Extending between each pair of lugs 46 and 47 and connected thereto by universal pivotal connection is a double acting hydraulic jack 48 to which hydraulic fluid can be selectively admitted and exhausted by means of manually controlled Valve means, not s-hown. By the operation of the valve means said jacks can be controlled to tilt the hinge plates 39, moving heads upwards and downwards as may be required.

It will be noted that each trunnion pin 38 has an axial extension 33a and positioned immediately below each extension is a single acting hydraulic jack 49 supported on the mobile base. Manually operable Valve means, not shown, are provided to control the admission and exhaust of hydraulic fluid to and from said jacks so that the yoke 37 can be given a small rotary movement in either direction and then locked. Such rotary movement is transmitted through the hinge plates 39 and gear case 40 to the mining head.

The mining machine head embodies a framework comprising a rear wall formed by the plate 42, a forwardly positioned three sided structure which constitutes a chain guide and means interconnecting said three sided structure to the rear wall comprising a horizontal plate 50 and side plates l51 and 52. The horizontal plate 50 forms the floor of a transverse conveyor 53 and the side plate 52 has an opening 53a through which the mineral on the conveyor is discharged.

The front face of the cover plate 42 has secured thereto a centrally positioned vertical guide 54 having a T-slot in which is a slide 55 with forwardly extending overhanging arm 56 which, at its forward end, carries a chain guide 57 for the upper run of the cutter chain. This slide, and therefore also the chain guide 57, can be raised and lowered by means of an hydraulic jack 58 incorporated in the bottom of the slide and supported by the head. The cutter chain is driven by a sprocket wheel 59 fast on the shaft Y.

Apart from the centrally positioned jack and slide the chain cutter, its guides and the means for driving the cutter chain is substantially similar to that which is shown in United States Patent No. 3,026,097 issued March 20, 1962 and therefore this part of the mining machine mechanism need be no further described.

The improved machine is provided with electric motor driven pumps and hydraulic motors together with suitable controls and by which the endless tracks are driven. Further it is provided with means to drive the conveyor. As such driving means do not constitute part of the present invention and are set forth in the aforesaid patent specifi-- cation they are not illustrated and described herein.

When operating in mining coal one mining head 1s expanded to its desired height while the opposite head is collapsed to permit its free passage along the coal face. The mining heads may be so constructed that they can be expanded and contracted laterally, the head which is to operate being expanded and the other contracted.

The appropriate clutch member 19 is engaged so that the motor 15 transmits its drive to the corresponding universal coupling through which the drive is transmitted to the aforesaid gearing by which the shafts X and Y and the cutter chain is driven.

The machine is advanced on its tracks into the buttock to eut and disintegrate the mineral vein. The mining head mechanism can be raised and lowered as may be required while being driven.

By means of the hydraulic jacks 48 the mining head :mechanism can be tilted as required about the trunnion pins 38 and, by means of the hydraulic jacks 49, said mechanism may be rocked in a transverse plane about a longitudinal axis intersecting the center of the universal coupling through which the drive is transmitted.

It will be noted that the two `shafts X and Y and cutter chain are driven by `a single motor through a single line of shafting which includes the universal coupling and the t driven member of the coupling drives a train of gearing by which both shafts are driven, the said gearing forming part of the mine disintegrating head mechanism and being tilted and rocked therewith.

While there is in this application specifically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modilied and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A mining apparatus having mineral disintegrating elements mounted on a support which is movable relative to a mobile base, said mobile base comprising concentric annular members having the outer surface of the inner member and the inner surface of the outer member rotatably engaged, oppositely extending trunnion portions integral with the outer surface of the outer annular member and having respective portions thereof extending beyond said trunnion portions, means rotatably connected to said trunnion portions respectively and secured to the rearward portion of said support for permitting pivotal movement of said support about said trunnio-ns, power means secured to such mobile base and said last mentioned means for pivoting said last mentioned means about said trunnion portions, and additional power means operatively connected to said respective portions forrotating the outer annular member relative to said'inner annular member.

2. A mobile mining apparatus comprising a main frame having a longitudinally extending axis, disintegrating means mounted on a support which is mounted on the forward portion of said main frame on a horizontal transversely extending axis which intersects the longitudinally extending axis and swingable in a vertical plane about such transversely extending axis and about the locus of intersection of such longitudinally extending axis with such transversely extending axis, means for permitting such swingable movement of said support comprising an inner annular member secured to said main frame having its axis coincident with said longitudinally extending axis, an outer annular member concentric with said inner member, oppositely extending trunnion elements integral with the outer surface of the outer annular member having the axes thereof coincident with said transversely extending axis, spaced pivotal means carried by said support and having portions concentric with said trunnion elements for pivotally mounting said spaced pivotal means on said trunnion elements, transmission means coupled to a source of power for transmitting mo tion to an element having the center thereof located at such locus of intersection of said transversely extending axis and said longitudinally extending axis, first means for swinging such support about said trunnion elements and said transversely extending axis comprising power means operatively connected between said spaced pivotal means and said main frame, second means for rotating said outer annular member, trunnion elements and said support about said inner annular member and said longitudinally extending axis comprising power means operatively connected between said main frame and extension portions on said trunnion elements, and means on said support being operatively connected to said element for actuating said disintegrating means irrespective of the adjusted position of said support.

3. A mining machine comprising a mobile base movable over the oor of a mine, a supporting structure pivotally mounted on and projecting from said mobile base and having spaced pivotal means located on a transversely extending axis so that said supporting structure can be moved in a vertical plane about the axis of said spaced pivotal means, means for moving said supporting structure about the axis of said spaced pivotal means, mine disintegrating head mechanism carried by said supporting structure, an annular member secured to said mobile base and having its axis extending longitudinally and intersecting the axis of said spaced pivotal means, a yoke mounted on said annular member, support elements in the form of trunnion pins, extending laterally from said yoke and located coaxially with the axis of said spaced pivotal means for supporting said spaced pivotal means, a universal coupling member having its center coincident with the intersection of the axis of said spaced pivotal means and the axis of said annular member, means for rotating said supporting structure around the outer surface of said annular member and about its longitudinally extending axis into a tilted position relative to said base including said spaced pivotal means said yoke and said trunrlion pins, a motor carried by said mobile base, and a power transmission drive between the motor and the disintegrating head mechanism, said transmission drive including said universal coupling to permit driving of said disintegrating head mechanism irrespective of the tilted position or" `the supporting structure relative to said mobile base.

4. A mining machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein the mine disintegrating head mechanism is rigidly secured to the supporting structure so that said disintegrating head mechanism partakes of the same rotative movement relative to the base that is imparted to the supporting structure about the longitudinally extending axis of said annular member and about the center of said universal coupling.

5. A mining machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein said support elements have extensions thereon which extend outwardly beyond said pivotal means for providing an operative connection with said means for rotating said supporting structure, yoke and trunnion pins around the outer surface of said annular member and about its longitudinally extending axis.

6. A mining machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein the mine disintegrating head mechanism embodies at least two cutter shafts driven by a single motorl which drives said mechanism through a line of shafting and gearing including said universal coupling, the head mechanism together with the sharting and gearing located on the output side of said universal coupling being capable of movement in a vertical plane relative to said base about the transversely extending axis of said spaced pivotal means, said trunnio-n pins `and about the center of said universal coupling.

7. A mining machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein the mining head mechanism together with the shating and gearing which is located on the output side of said universal coupling is also capable of a rotative movement about the longitudinally extending axis of said annular member and about the center of said universal coupling.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,559,71lL Dansereau July 10, 1951 2,734,731 Cartledge et al. Feb. 14, 1956 2,839,281 Alspaugh et al. lune 17, 1958 

1. A MINING APPARATUS HAVING MINERAL DISINTEGRATING ELEMENTS MOUNTED ON A SUPPORT WHICH IS MOVABLE RELATIVE TO A MOBILE BASE, SAID MOBILE BASE COMPRISING CONCENTRIC ANNULAR MEMBERS HAVING THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE INNER MEMBER AND THE INNER SURFACE OF THE OUTER MEMBER ROTATABLY ENGAGED, OPPOSITELY EXTENDING TRUNNION PORTIONS INTEGRAL WITH THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE OUTER ANNULAR MEMBER AND HAVING RESPECTIVE PORTIONS THEREOF EXTENDING BEYOND SAID TRUNNION PORTIONS, MEANS ROTATABLY CONNECTED TO SAID TRUNNION PORTIONS RESPECTIVELY AND SECURED TO THE REARWARD PORTION OF SAID SUPPORT FOR PERMITTING PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SUPPORT ABOUT SAID TRUNNIONS, POWER MEANS SECURED TO SUCH MOBILE BASE AND SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS FOR PIVOTING SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS ABOUT SAID TRUNNION PORTIONS, AND ADDITIONAL POWER MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID RESPECTIVE PORTIONS FOR ROTATING THE OUTER ANNULAR MEMBER RELATIVE TO SAID INNER ANNULAR MEMBER. 